Technical Field
The present invention relates to a connector locking mechanism in which a lock releasing arm that releases a lock by leverage is integrally formed with a locking arm integrally formed with a connector housing.
Related Art
FIGS. 18 to 20A and 20B illustrate connector locking mechanisms in the related art described in JP 2001-250636 A.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an external configuration of a locking arm only taken out of the connector locking mechanism in the related art. FIG. 19 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first connector housing including a locking arm arranged therein. FIGS. 20A and 20B are partial longitudinal cross-sectional views illustrating the first connector housing and a second connector housing that have fitted into each other, and the first connector housing and the second connector housing that have been detached from each other, respectively.
As illustrated in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the rocking mechanism is arranged between the first connector housing 11 of a first connector 10 and the second connector housing 21 of a second connector 20 that have fitted into each other. The locking mechanism includes the locking arm 30 arranged toward the first connector housing 11 and a locking protrusion 25 arranged toward the second connector housing 21.
For convenience, a fitting direction and a fitting releasing direction between the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 21 as longitudinal direction and directions that are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and are perpendicular to each other as vertical direction and lateral direction, will be described. Note that, three pairs of directions illustrated in FIGS. 18 to 20B (front, rear, left, right, up, and down) are based on the first connector housing 11.
As illustrated in FIGS. 19, 20A and 20B, the locking arm 30 has been arranged flexible in the vertical direction, on the upper side of an upper wall 14 of the first connector housing 11.
Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the locking protrusion 25 has been arranged so as to protrude on the upper side of an upper wall portion of a fitting hood portion 22 of the second connector housing 21. The locking protrusion 25 engages with the locking arm 30 by using flexure of the locking arm 30 when the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 21 fit into each other. In an engaging state illustrated in FIG. 20B, the locking protrusion 25 generates locking force for preventing the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 21 from moving in the fitting releasing direction (backward).
As illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, the locking arm 30 includes a first arm 32 and a second arm 40. The first arm 32 corresponds to a locking arm body. The second arm 40 corresponds to a lock releasing arm and is integrally formed so as to bend back from a top end of the first arm 32.
The first arm 32 is a cantilever arm that extends a free end 34 forward from a fixing end 31 that has been fixed on an upper wall 14 of the first connector housing 11. The free end 34 is displaceable in the vertical direction due to flexibility of the arm.
The second arm 40 includes a loading end 41, an operating end 42, and a supporting portion 45. The loading end 41 to be a point of load of a lever is coupled to the free end 34 of the first arm 32. The operating end 42 to be a point of effort of the lever extends backward from the loading end 41 so as to be arranged at a rear end. The supporting portion 45 to be a fulcrum of the lever is arranged on a lower surface between the operating end 42 and the loading end 41.
An engaging recess portion 33 with which the locking protrusion 25 is engaged, and a locking wall portion 35 positioned on the front side of the engaging recess portion 33 are arranged at the free end 34 of the first arm 32. The loading end 41 of the second arm 40 is integrally formed with the locking wall portion 35 arranged at the free end 34 of the first arm 32.
As illustrated in 20A, the locking wall portion 35 of the first arm 32 slides with respect to the locking protrusion 25 in accordance with a fitting between the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 21. The first arm 32 bends upward so that the free end 34 of the first arm 32 is displaced upward. In accordance with progress of the fitting between the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 21, the locking wall portion 35 of the first arm 32 further gets over the locking protrusion 25. The locking protrusion 25 engages with the engaging recess portion 33 due to return operation of the flexure of the first arm 32 after the locking wall portion 35 of the first arm 32 gets over the locking protrusion 25. Accordingly, the locking wall portion 35 of the first arm 32 serves to generate locking force for preventing the first and second connector housings 11 and 21 from being detached, between the locking wall portion 35 of the first arm 32 and the locking protrusion 25.
As illustrated in FIGS. 20 A and 20B, the locking mechanism presses the operating end 42 of the second arm 40 down as illustrated in an arrow N1 so as to rock the second arm 40 with, as the fulcrum P, a contact point with a working face on the first connector housing 11 of the supporting portion 45. Furthermore, leverage of the second arm 40 lifts the free end 34 (locking wall portion 35) of the first arm 32 coupled to the loading end 41 on the opposite side of the operating end 42 interposing the fulcrum P so as to release the engagement of the locking protrusion 25 with respect to the engaging recess portion 33.
Note that, before the releasing operation, the supporting portion 45 of the second arm 40 floats with a gap d with respect to the working face on the first connector housing 11. When the releasing operation is performed, the supporting portion 45 of the second arm 40 abuts on the working face on the first connector housing 11 so as to serve as the fulcrum P of the rocking.